Licensing helps keep us all safe

To the editor:

I generally don’t care to air my opinions to the public, but a recent article caught my eye, and the contents of the article really bother me.

An Aug. 24 article stated that Rep. Jim Lucas of Seymour wants Indiana to join a few other states that don’t require a person to be license to carry a gun, stating that it would be inconvenient for a law-abiding person to apply for the license.

What in the name of Donald Duck’s nephew does Mr. Lucas think the application process is designed to do?

State police Maj. Mike White said there were 4,802 rejections for permits in 2016 and that removing the permit requirements could put police officers at a greater risk. He’s right.

It would also pose a threat to doctors, teachers, factory workers, filling station attendants, students, reporters and people from other various sundry walks of life.

I would ask Mr. Lucas to rethink his stand on this issue and imagine what life would be if everybody carried a firearm. Chaos? Rules of the fast draw? Anarchy? Nor right away, but they will follow, all three.

Let the police determine who the “law-abiding citizens” are, then license them.

Respectfully,

Larry Chittum

Portland